Allergy Season & Camping

Tips for Camping with Allergies and Asthma

Camping is one of America’s favorite outdoor activities. If you have allergies, however, it can be a challenge to enjoy nature without tears, sniffles, and sneezes. Before heading outdoors for your camping trip this summer, learn what you can do to avoid allergy and asthma triggers lurking outdoors and in the wilderness. Pick a good spot

At the campsite, find a grassy spot to set up your tent. If you are allergic to grass, find a cleared area, but avoid stirring up a lot of dirt.

• Check out your campsite for ragweed, poison oak or poison ivy and other plants that may cause allergic reactions. Bring ointments and medications just in case.

• People with mold allergies may find that they would be more comfortable camping in a dry area in the summer rather than in damp wooded areas in the fall.

• One of the best places to camp for people with allergies is an ocean beach, especially when prevailing winds flow onto land, because of the absence of pollen there.

• Campfires can be significant irritants for those with asthma and allergies. When building a fire, make sure that people who have asthma sit farther away and out of the wind so the smoke does not irritate their lungs. It's also a good idea to change your clothes after sitting near the campfire.

Know your allergens

• Allergy sufferers may wish to inquire about the likelihood of coming into contact with the allergens that affect them and plan a vacation at a time when they would be less likely to come into contact with that substance.

• Tree pollens tend to be most prolific in the early spring, while grasses are more predominant in the late spring and early summer. Weed pollens take over in late summer and fall.

• Check the forecast for pollen count and ozone levels according to the location where you are camping and schedule your trip while the allergens are lowest. Tent hygeine

• Air out your equipment before you leave. Look for mold in tents and tarps, and wash off any you see with a hot water and bleach solution.

• Because pollen counts are highest in the early morning, it might be wise to sleep with the tent doors and windows at least partially closed. Be prepared

• Remember to pack all allergy and asthma medications in a first aid kit before you leave for camp (even those you might not think you’ll need), such as an Epi-Pen for a food reaction, an inhaler for asthma, antihistamines for allergies, and cortisone for skin reactions. Make sure you are prepared for any trigger that may cross your path.

• Keep a list of contact information, such as the the local allergist, pharmacy, and any other contacts in the area that would be helpful if medical care were needed on the trip.

• Remember to pack food that is friendly to people with food allergies, check with your group to see what people are allergic to and do not bring that item.

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